 Rational parametrization of an algebraic curve

A rational parametrization expresses the coordinates of an algebraic curve as rational functions of a parameter, with a rational inverse on a dense open subset. It identifies the function field with $K(t)$ and the smooth projective normalization of an algebraic curve with the projective line. A nonconstant parametrizing map without an inverse is a weaker notion; even this cannot exist for an elliptic curve in characteristic zero.